[Cob] pine needle cob

[Quinn]

I wonder how that cob would hold up to stress?  The reason I ask is because it seems to me that pine needles, even old ones, are inherently resinous, therefore water repellant.  And that that would make them cob-repellant at some intimate internal level.  Although maybe soaking them releases the oils and allows the oils to bind throughout the clay mix, making the cob stronger and somewhat more waterproof?

How's it holding up?  Anyone have any insights?

I'm thinking about dog hair as a binder, but maybe that's just because I'm being inundated by three dogs shedding in the newly warm weather.  Seriously, has anyone used it?  Any thoughts?

Quinn

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brad Calvert" <umbrella at netspace.net.au>


> I made some pine needle cob, maybe more like light straw, though it seems 
> fairly heavy to me.
> 
> First I soaked the pine needles in water overnight, then mixed them in a 
> clay slurry and made a bread loaf sized lump.  It took a few days to dry 
> out, it seems OK, has been out in the rain without falling to pieces.
>